NVFEL

Vehicle Technology Showcase

Transforming the 

Automotive Market

Technology 

 Innovation
Consumers shopping for vehicles with better fuel economy and lower carbon emissions 

have a wider range of choices than ever, as automakers are increasingly introducing 

cars, minivans, sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and pickup trucks with advanced technologies and alternative fuels. While the number of hybrid and plug-in electric models 

increases every year, most of the improvement in fuel economy and carbon emissions is 

a result of the rapid commercialization of advanced gasoline vehicle technologies such 

as gasoline direct-injection engines, turbochargers, and advanced transmissions. These 

technologies are enabling many vehicles in showrooms today, with straightforward 

improvements to air conditioning systems, to already meet EPA’s new carbon dioxide 

(CO2) emissions targets years ahead of schedule. Consumers who buy these vehicles 

will not only get better mileage, but will also enjoy significant savings at the gas pump.

Consumers have more choices than ever when shopping for vehicles with higher fuel 

economy and lower carbon emissions. Buying these vehicles means more money in 

consumers’ pocketbooks due to gasoline savings. Compared to just five years ago, the 

number of high miles per gallon (mpg) vehicle offerings has grown considerably – and 

across all segments, from cars to SUVs, pickups, minivans and vans (Figure 1).1

Consumers have an increasing number of high fuel economy 

vehicle choices

Figure 1. 

Vehicle Models Meeting Fuel Economy Thresholds in 2007 and 20122

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

SUVs, Pickups, 

Minivans, and Vans 

>= 20 MPG

SUVs >= 25 MPG Cars >= 30 MPG Cars >= 40 MPG

Number of Models

2007

2012

2

Technology 

 Innovation
There are now 65 models across SUVs, pickups, minivans and vans with combined 

city/highway label fuel economy ratings of 20 mpg or more, compared with 38 models 

five years ago, and 14 SUV models achieve 25 mpg or above.3 There are now 48 car 

models available with a combined city/highway label fuel economy of 30 mpg or more, 

compared to just 8 in 2007, and 15 of these cars achieve 40 mpg or higher. 

Consumers also have many more alternatives to conventional gasoline vehicles (Figure 

2). Five years ago, the only advanced vehicle technology for which there were meaningful choices was hybrids, with a smaller number of diesels and one compressed natural 

gas vehicle. Today, not only are there twice as many hybrid and diesel offerings, but 

growing numbers of electric vehicles (EVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), 

natural gas vehicles, and fuel cell vehicles as well. Hybrid vehicle offerings have increased from 14 in 2007 to 31 in 2012, and diesel offerings have increased from 6 in 

2007 to 12 in 2012. Consumers shopping for alternative fueled vehicles can also choose 

from 8 EVs, 3 PHEVs, 2 natural gas vehicles, and 2 fuel cell vehicles.4

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Hybrid 

vehicles

Diesel vehicles Electric 

vehicles

Plug-in hybrid 

electric 

vehicles

Compressed 

natural gas 

vehicles

Fuel cell 

vehicles

Number of Models

2007

2012

Figure 2. 

Alternative Fueled and Advanced Technology Vehicle Models

3
Technology innovation is a major driving force behind the recent improvements in CO2

emissions and fuel economy. Automakers are continually introducing into the market 

new advancements in gasoline engine and transmission technology. Because gasoline 

vehicles still account for the vast majority of vehicle sales, these advanced gasoline 

technologies account for more fuel and carbon savings than all alternative fuel vehicles 

combined.

Conventional fuel injection systems are being replaced by more sophisticated gasoline 

direct injection systems, whose use has grown from essentially zero five years ago to 

24% of the projected market in 2012 (Figure 3). The use of turbochargers/superchargers has tripled from about 3% in 2007 to a projected 9% in 2012. The market share for 

conventional hybrids has increased slightly since 2007. 

Transmission technology advancements are particularly impressive. Six-speed, seven or 

higher-speed, and continuously variable transmissions are rapidly replacing the traditional four-speed transmission, now reaching a nearly 75% cumulative market share 

compared with 25% just five years ago.

Advanced gasoline vehicle technologies are rapidly gaining 

market share

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Gasoline 

Direct 

Injection

Turbocharged 

or 

Supercharged

6 Speed 

Transmission

Continuously 

Variable 

Transmission

7+ Speed 

Transmission

Hybrid

% 0f Sales

2007

2012

Figure 3. 

Advanced Gasoline Vehicle Technology Penetration

4
EPA’s new emissions standards for light-duty vehicles are projected to result in an average industry fleet-wide compliance level of 163 grams/mile of CO2

 by 2025, or 54.5 mpg 

if achieved exclusively from fuel economy improvements. EPA’s earlier standards for 

2016 are projected to result in an average fleet-wide compliance level of 250 grams/mile 

CO2, or 35.5 mpg if achieved exclusively from fuel economy. These CO2 standards translate into average fleet-wide label values of about 28 mpg in 2016 and 40 mpg in 2025. 

The CO2 targets vary by a vehicle’s size, or “footprint,” so automakers can continue offering consumers a full range of vehicle choices with the utility customers want.5

 EPA has 

done an assessment of how many vehicles already either meet the future CO2 targets, 

or can meet them with straightforward improvements in air conditioning systems. 

We evaluated current vehicle models6

 against future footprint-based CO2 targets to 

determine which vehicles could meet or exceed the targets in model years 2016-2025, 

assuming the only additional changes manufacturers would make are improvements to 

the air conditioning efficiency and leakage systems (Figures 4, 5, 6). We assumed the 

addition of only air conditioning improvements since these are some of the least expensive technologies available to reduce CO2

 and other greenhouse gas emissions.7

Automakers are selling many vehicles today that can meet 

future CO2 targets

Figure 4. 

Currently Available Vehicle Models That Meet Future CO2 Targets, by Vehicle Class

5
About 90 vehicles in showrooms today either already meet the 2016 CO2

 targets, or can 

meet these targets with the addition of expected air conditioning improvements. These 

vehicles span a wide range of vehicle segments, including cars, SUVs, minivans, and 

pickup trucks (Figure 4), and more than half are gasoline technology (Figure 5). Almost 

25% of today’s vehicle sales meet (or can meet with expected air conditioning changes) 

the 2016 CO2

 targets (Figure 6). Looking ahead, there are about 40 vehicles (5% of 

today’s sales) that can meet the 2020 CO2

 targets, and about 25 vehicles (3% of today’s 

sales) that can meet the 2025 CO2 targets. While gasoline vehicles make up more than 

half of the vehicles meeting the 2016 targets, the vehicles meeting the 2025 targets 

include only hybrids, plug-in hybrids, electric vehicles, and fuel cell vehicles. However, 

since the 2025 standards are more than 10 years away, there’s considerable time for 

continued improvements in gasoline vehicle technology.

Figure 5. 

Currently Available Vehicle Models That Meet Future CO2 Targets, by Technology

6
1 In this analysis, EPA had to make judgments about how to group vehicle models for the most meaningful 

comparison between model year (MY) 2007 and 2012 vehicles. EPA prepared a technical support memo 

documenting the assumptions and methodology that went into all the analyses contained in this brochure, 

available at www.epa.gov/nvfel/showcase.htm.

2 All years referenced in this document are model years.

3 The fuel economy metric for all non-petroleum fueled vehicles is miles per gallon of gasoline equivalent.

4 Some alternative fueled vehicles have limited consumer availability; for example, the Honda FCX Clarity and 

Mercedes-Benz F-Cell fuel cell vehicles are only available to some consumers in selected California markets.

5 Note that the EPA CO2 standards are part of the National Program for reducing greenhouse gas emissions 

and improving fuel economy. The National Program includes both the EPA CO2

 standards and the Corporate 

Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards established by the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

6 This current vehicle model data included mostly MY 2013 data, but we used MY 2012 data for models where 

MY 2013 data was not yet available.

7 While we assessed individual vehicle models compared to their footprint-based CO2 targets for purposes of 

this analysis, it is important to note that no individual vehicle is actually required to achieve a specific CO2

target. Instead, each manufacturer has a unique CO2

 compliance value for its car and truck fleets, based on 

the sales-weighted vehicles it produces in a given model year. 

Figure 6. 

2012 Vehicles That Meet Future CO2

 Targets, by Projected Sales

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

2016 2017 2020 2025

% of 2012 sales

7
Office of Transportation and Air Quality

EPA-420-F-12-077

December 2012